Ex-CBCP President Soc Villegas Slams Duterte for Appointing INC Leader Ka Eduardo Manalo at DFA

Former Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Sunday, February 18, criticized President Rodrigo Duterte for appointing Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Ka Eduardo Villanueva Manalo to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“Akala ko ba, may separation ang simbahan at ang estado? Bakit po bigla kayong nag-appoint ng isang pinuno ng simbahan, mahal na pangulo? Paano siya makakatulong sa bayan kung sila mismo sa loob ay sariling gusot na kailangan ayusin?” Villegas said in his homily this Sunday morning, without mentioning the name of Ka Eduardo Manalo.

(I thought there is a separation of the church and the state? Why did you suddenly appointed a church leader, Mr. President? How can we help the country when his group has own problems that need to be solved?)

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“Ibig sabihin ba nun, pwede mo ding bigyan ng pwesto yung nagpapahiram sa iyo ng private plane? Di ba po, Malaki din ang naitulong niya sa inyo nung kampanya?” The former CBCP president added, whose term ended last November 30 and was replaced by Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, a notably close friend of President Duterte.

(Does it mean you can also appoint the one who lends you his private plane? Isn’t that he also helped you during the election campaign period?)

President Duterte appointed Ka Eduardo Manalo as special envoy for the concerns of overseas Filipino workers (OFW). But while Duterte’s critic said that Manalo’s appointment is a payback for endorsing Duterte during the elections, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said that it was DFA that recommended the INC leader to the post.

"One reason is that they have churches in several countries around the world, and Ka Eduardo is actually visiting many of them, and anyone of you here who have dealt with the Iglesia ni Cristo church in the localities, if you can see it, it's very organized, whether it's a member or non-member who will complain." Cayetano told reporters last Friday.

Meanwhile, Villegas on his follow up statement was apparently referring to Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is also a staunch supporter of President Duterte and calls himself as the “Appointed Son of God.” Last Tuesday, February 13, his follower named Felina Sabino Salinas was arrested in Hawaii.



According to reports, Salinas was with Pastor Quibolot in his private plane when Hawaiian authorities arrested her for carrying undeclared money, amounting to US$335,000 and $9,000 in Australian dollars. But contrary to reports, Atty. Isrelito Torreon, Quiboloy’s lawyer, clarified that his client was neither arrested nor detained.

Contributed by Renato Pasayao